Volume One, Chapter 16: Two Negatives Make a Positive

In the gentle breeze of early spring, a sleek black Land Rover slowly came into view, pulling up beside Ling Feng’s Ferrari.

Sunlight streamed through the half-open car window as the man turned his face sideways and said, “Get in.”

Lu Miao glanced at him, then calmly looked over at Lu Qingcheng.

Lu Qingcheng’s expression darkened.

Hmph, what’s so special about a Land Rover? Compared to Ling Feng’s convertible sports car, it’s worth only a fraction.

Seeing Lu Miao standing still, Fu Shiyue opened the car door and stepped out.

Lu Qingcheng’s disdain instantly froze when she saw the man descending from the car.

Why was it him coming to pick up Lu Miao?!

“Do you know him?” Fu Shiyue asked as he approached Lu Miao, following her gaze to Lu Qingcheng.

Lu Miao raised an eyebrow. “I know him, but not well.”

Hearing this, Fu Shiyue’s cold gaze withdrew. He lowered his eyes to Lu Miao’s delicate hand holding a shopping bag—slender and soft, clearly unable to carry anything heavy.

He reached out smoothly, “Give it to me. I’ll carry it.”

Still watching Lu Qingcheng’s expression, Lu Miao was momentarily stunned by his words before the man took the bag from her hand.

In the sudden movement, a small doll dangling from the bag was accidentally caught by his cufflink and fell, rolling to the edge of the Ferrari’s door.

It landed right at Lu Qingcheng’s feet.

Lu Miao frowned slightly. “You dropped my things.”

Fu Shiyue’s gaze hesitated for a moment before he bent down to pick it up.

A fair, slender hand beat him to it.

Lu Qingcheng opened the car door, holding the little doll. “Here.”

Fu Shiyue took it, brushing the dust off the doll.

Lu Qingcheng shyly called out to him, “Mr. Fu, I am—”

But before she could finish, she met Fu Shiyue’s sharp, cold eyes. Her heart tightened, and no words came out.

Fu Shiyue returned to Lu Miao’s side, opening his palm to reveal the doll resting quietly there.

Lu Miao glanced at it indifferently. “It’s dirty. I don’t want it.”

Fu Shiyue’s fingers stiffened at the word “dirty.” He looked down at the doll, then back into her eyes.

Sensing her displeasure, he whispered, “I’ll replace it for you.”

Then, without another word, he tossed the doll into a nearby trash bin.

---

Seeing this, Lu Qingcheng blushed deeply, clenching her fists in frustration as Fu Shiyue drove Lu Miao away.

“Lu Qingcheng, why did you help him pick up that broken toy just now?” Ling Feng’s anger simmered. His girlfriend had just helped another man, and worst of all, that man didn’t even appreciate it. It felt like she was throwing herself at him.

If she had no shame, it was one thing—but making him embarrassed too?

Afraid of angering Ling Feng, Lu Qingcheng hurried to console him. “Darling, don’t think like that. I did it all for you.”

“For me?”

“You know your family has investment projects coming up. I want to make an impression on him so that I can build a closer relationship in the future.”

Ling Feng sneered. “Lu Qingcheng, are you out of your mind? Lowering yourself to flatter someone like that?”

Lu Qingcheng thought Ling Feng was the one without sense. “Someone like him? Don’t you know he’s from the Fu family?”

Ling Feng was stunned, refusing to believe it. “What did you say? The Fu family? Him? You must be mistaken!”

“Even if I’m wrong, I wouldn’t mistake him. I saw him at Grandfather Fu’s birthday banquet. If I’m right, he’s the eldest grandson Grandfather Fu is most proud of.”

At the Fu patriarch’s birthday last year, she had begged Lu Guoxun for a long time before he finally took her along.

She encountered Fu Shiyue there. He was impeccably dressed and didn’t engage in any social climbing. After toasting the old man, he quietly left without giving her a chance to speak.

The more noble the person, the more low-key they were—unlike Ling Feng, a second-generation rich kid with no real ability, who flaunted his family wealth everywhere.

“Why would your cousin get involved with the Fu family?” Ling Feng’s words reminded Lu Qingcheng of something.

If even she couldn’t get close to that man, how could Lu Miao ride home with him in his car?

No, she couldn’t let Lu Miao continue developing her relationship with Fu Shiyue!

She immediately called Lu Guoxun to complain. “Dad, I saw Lu Miao on the street today. She was with a much older man. Yes, I think she’s being kept by him!”

---

Lu Miao sat quietly in the car, her almond-shaped eyes fixed on Fu Shiyue as he drove. “Did you do that on purpose just now?”

The man glanced at her and snorted softly.

Lu Miao thought he must have seen through her tension with Lu Qingcheng and was silently mocking her childish feelings.

She didn’t mind and lazily asked, “Why don’t you ask who she is?”

Fu Shiyue rested one hand on the steering wheel and replied coolly, “No need to ask about people who make you unhappy.”

A faint smile curled on Lu Miao’s lips. “She’s my uncle’s daughter.”

Fu Shiyue showed no change in expression, clearly uninterested in the topic.

Surprised, Lu Miao asked, “Aren’t you acquainted with Lu Guoxun?”

“Known, but not close.”

Wasn’t that exactly what she had said?

Understanding his meaning, Lu Miao laughed softly and leaned back comfortably. “Lu Yan isn’t much, but his friends are pretty reliable.”

Fu Shiyue couldn’t help but chuckle.

Outside, the sunlight was gentle as he leisurely drove her home.

“By the way, we’ve known each other for days, and I still don’t know your name.”

Fu Shiyue glanced at her. She casually shook her phone. “I need to save your contact.”

Without looking away from the road, Fu Shiyue said quietly, “My surname is Fu. Just call me Uncle Fu.”

Uncle?

Lu Miao raised her head, her gaze sharp. “What year were you born?”

“Quite a bit older than you.”

She pointed outside. “Is the city emblem at Central Plaza older?”

“…”

Tch, this man wasn’t that old but sure liked to elevate his seniority.

Fu Shiyue remained expressionless. “I’m of the same generation as Lu Yan. Whatever you call him, call me the same.”

Lu Miao was speechless. “I call him Lu Chicken Feather. Should I call you Fu Duck Feather then?”

“…”

He took legal guardianship of her and tried to ride on her uncle’s connections, pretending to be an elder in front of her?

“Fine. Last time I heard Lu Guoxun call you Shiyue. So, is your name Fu Shiyue?”

Fu Shiyue chuckled softly. “You’re quite calculating.”

“So you really were born in October?”

“…”

Lu Miao’s question left him silent. She considered it for a moment and said, “The name’s pretty nice, just a little girly.”

She enthusiastically praised it while tapping on her phone to save his contact as—

“Negative times Negative equals Positive.”